Automatic self-feeder for chickens, pigeons, and the like.



E. H. MILLS. FEEDER FOR cmcmms,

I AUTOMATIC SELF PIGEONS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 8, 191 1.

Patented May 28,1912.

ATTORNEYS ERNEST I-I. MILLS, 0F MERGHANTVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO GERI-IARD LOELING, OF PENSAUKEN TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC SELF-FEEDER FOR CHIGKENS, PIG-EONS, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28,1912.

Application filed November 8, 1911. Serial No. 659,139.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST H. MILLS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Merchantville, Camden county, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Automatic Self-Feeder for Chickens, Pigeons, and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of a novel construction of an automatic self-feeder for chickens, pigeons and the like in which novel means are provided for supporting the feed pan and locking the same with respect to the grain container so that the feed of the grain will be prevented when desired by a simple manipulation of a novel locking device.

It further consists of a novel construction of a feed pan which prevents scattering of the grain. I i

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawing one form thereof which is at present preferred by me,since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable-results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these in strumentalities as herein shown and de scribed.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an automatic self-feeder for chickens, pigeons and the like, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a sectional elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of Fig. 1 having the cover removed. Fig. 4 repre sents a side elevation of a locking device employed to-lock the feed pan to prevent the feed passing thereinto. Fig. '5 represents a bottom plan'view of Fig.-7. Fig. 6 repre sents a transverse section of one of the sup porting legs. Fig. 7 represents a side elevation of the locking device and its adjuncts in the position the parts assume when the device is in locked position. 1 7

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the container for the food which preferably consists of an integral piece of material hav ing a conical contour the upper end of the contalner being deflected upon itself to form a bead 2 on which the cover 8 is adapted to be seated, said cover preferably having a conical contour and having the ends thereof inwardly and upwardly deflected, as indicated at 4. The cover is provided with guide bars 5 which are secured to the cover in any desired manner. The guide bars 5 have the downwardly and angularly deflected portions 6, which are adapted to engage the inner wall of the conical container 1.

7 designates the upper leg sections which are secured to the container 1 by means of fastening devices 8, such as for example the bolts and nuts indicated in the drawings.

9 designates the lower legs which have sliding engagement with the upper legs 7 and are maintained in their adjusted position by means of a collar 10 which is adapted to slip over the legs 7 and 9 and which are provided with set screws 11 whereby the legs 7 and 9 may be secured in their adjusted position and the container 1 maintained at any desired height from the ground.

12 designates a cross bar the outer ends of which are deflected, as indicated at 13, the said deflected ends being adapted to closely engage the inner wall of the container 1 and be secured in position by means of any desired type of fastening devices 1 1, such for example, the bolts and nuts indicated in Fig. 2. The cross bar 12 is provided with an aperture 15 through which is adapted to pass a rod or bar 16 which supports the feed pan 17. The supporting rodor bar 16, in the present instance, passes through the feed pan 17 and the lower end thereof is provided with a washer 18- against which abuts the nut 19 which latter has threaded engagement of the-lower end of the bar 16 so that the distance of the bottom of the feed pan 17-from the lower end of the container 1 may be adjusted by adjusting nut 19,, as is evident.

In the present instance, the feed pan 17 is constructed of three diflerent pieces of material the lower end of the bottom thereof being upwardly deflected, to form a flange 20 within which is adapted to seat the annular side forming member 21 of the feed pan.

22 designates an annular top plate adapt- .ed to cover a portion of the feed pan and having the downwardly deflected flange 23 which engages the member 21 whereby the latter is retained in position, the inner periphery of the plate 22 being deflected upon itself, as indicated at 2st, in order to pre vent the formation of a sharp edge at such point which would be liable to injure the head or neck of the animals which are feeding.

25 designates a locking cam which is provided with grasping portions 26 whereby the same may be readily manipulated said locking member having a horizontal wall 27 from which extends the cam faces 28 and 29 which are adapted to ride up on the bar 12 in order to raise the feed pan and lock the same in such a position that the feed cannot pass from the container 1 into the feed pan 17.

3O designates a thumb nut engaging the threaded end 31 of the supporting bar 16 and adapted to seat on the horizontal wall 32 of the locking member 25.

The operation of my novel self-feeder will now be apparent and is as follows Vhen the cover 3 is removed the feed, such as for example, any desired grain, may be placed within the container 1, after which the cover 3 is placed in position, it being understood that the guide portions 6 will engage with the inner wall of the container 1, so that there is no likelihood of any moisture or any foreign material coming into contact with the feed. The height of the container from the ground is adjusted by means of the set screws 11, and the height of the feed pan 17 from the ground may be adjusted either by the manipulation of the nut 19 or by the manipulation of the thumb nut 30. When it is desired to render the device inoperative for feeding purposes the operator manipulates the locking cam 25 in order to turn the same and since the wall 32 thereof is prevented from upward movement by the thumb nut 30, the locking cam 25 will be turned, so that the cam faces 28 and 29, will ride up on the bar 12, as indicated in Fig. 4, which will cause the bars 16 to be moved upwardly into such a position that the feed will not pass from the container 1 into the feed pan 17. The fric tion of the cam faces with the sides of the bar will maintain the parts in their elevated condition but if desired the locking cam may be turned so that it will be wholly supported on the top of the face of the cross bar 12.

It will be seen that a slight swinging or swaying of the pan 17 is permitted owing to the manner in which the same is mounted so that as the chickens or other animals feed from the feed pan the grain will pass from the container 1 into the feed pan.

Special attention is directed to one of the main advantages of my novel locking mechanism, since by a simple rotation of the locking cam 25, the feed pan 17 may be drawn into close contact with the open end of the conical container 1, so that escape of the feed is entirely out off and the entrance of mice, rats or other animals to the feed within the container is absolutely prevented, whereby I am enabled to eliminate the loss of feed, which occurs in all other devices of this character with which I am familiar.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction of an automatic self-feeder for chickens, pigeons and the like which embodiesthe features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic self-feeder, an open ended conical casing, a bar extending across said casing and having an opening therein, a rod extending through said opening and fitting loosely therein so that such rod has a limited swinging movement relative to the casing, a feed pan carried at the lower end of said rod, an adjusting nut at the other end of said rod, and a locking device freely rotatable upon said rod and having cams on the bottom thereof coacting with said bar, said device being intermediate said adjusting nut and said bar whereby on the actuation of said locking device said feed pan will be raised and thereby stop the feed from said container.

2. In an automatic self-feeder, an open ended conical casing, a bar supported within said casing and having an opening, a rod extending through said opening, a feed pan supported at the lower end of said rod, an adjusting device carried by the upper end of said rod to vary the relative distance betweenthe lower end of said casing and the bottom of the feed pan, and a rotatable locking device intermediate said adjusting device and said bar and having cam faces on its lower portion cooperating with said bar when said locking device is turned to raise said rod and thereby raise said pan against the bottom of said container, so as to close the latter and to prevent the feed from passing from said container intosaid feed pan.

3. In an automatic self-feeder,- an open ended conical container, a bar within said container, a rod, a feed pan adjustably secured to the lower end of said rod, an adjusting nut at the upper end of said rod, a locking nut freely rotatable on said rod and having a face corresponding to a face of said bar and seated thereon, and located intermediate said adjusting nut and said bar, said locking nut having reversely inclined cam faces on opposite sides thereof adapted to engage said bar on the rotation of said locking nut to raise said rod and thereby said feed pan to prevent passage of food from said container into said feed pan, and a cover for the upper end of said container.

4:. In an automatic feeder, a container, a bar secured transversely therein, a rod passing through said bar, a feed pan carried by said rod, an adjusting nut for the upper end of said rod, and a locking device 25,, freely rotatable on said rod and located between said bar and nut, said device having grasping portions 26, a lower horizontal Wall 27 adapted to contact With said bar and reversely inclined cam faces 28 and 29 on opposite sides of said Wall 27, whereby when said locking device is turned, said rod and pan are elevated to close the mouth of said container.

ERNEST H. MILLS. Witnesses:

H. S. FAIRBANKS, G. D. MCVAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

